A smart shopper will always do research first before making a buying decision and electronic cigarette reviews are the best source of information if you’re looking to compare battery performance, cartridge and tank efficiency, e liquid flavors, and accessories from different brands.

However, be forewarned that not all product reviews are reliable. Manufacturers are notorious for publishing puff counts that do not live up to the hype. An unbiased electronic cigarette review will tell you exactly how many puffs you’ll be getting from one cartridge or one battery charge cycle based on actual tests and not on the brand’s marketing material.

If an ecig maker claims that its products are more “green” than others, it probably only means that the company has a recycling program but there’s nothing truly special about their batteries. Be wary of reviews that say a particular ecig can be used “anytime, anywhere” because many cities and states are now banning the use of vaporizers in public.

In this electronic cigarette review, vapers will be able to get an overview of the e cigarette market today as well as our top five recommended ecig brands.

Aesthetics

There are three main categories for electronic cigarettes minis, mid sized and mods (modified ecigs).

Minis are cigarette replicas same size, same shape, same color, with realistic speckles on the filter and a glowing ember like tip. Mid sized ecigs look more like pens than cigars and are usually available in vibrant colors such as metallic blue, lime green, chrome, and crimson red. Mods are thick silver cylinders that are significantly bulkier and heavier than minis and mid sized ecigs.

Some electronic cigarette suppliers offer designer ecigs for women. Minis and mid sized ecigs that are marketed towards female vapers are available in different shades of pink and purple or with a fashion theme.

Battery Performance

Battery power is dependent on size the bigger your ecig, the longer it will last between charges. Smokers who are just making the switch may prefer minis because they mimic natural smoking behavior but small batteries can only last around 160 puffs per charge cycle. As you get acclimated to vaping, you will want to explore those bigger batteries so you don’t have to charge often. Midis and mods usually last more than a day on a single charge.

Mods, and some mid sized ecigs, also produce a thicker and more consistent vapor than minis because you can set the battery to operate on a specific voltage. The vapor volume of each puff will be the same from start to finish even when your battery is about to go empty.

Flavors and Strength

Once you have chosen a battery type that suits your lifestyle and personality, the next selection will be flavor and strength. No matter how powerful and sleek looking your ecig is, you won’t be able to enjoy your vaping experience if the draw doesn’t satisfy your craving.

Electronic cigarettes get their flavor from a cartridge or tank which contains a liquid solution that is converted into vapor by an atomizer. Minis use pre filled cartridges while mid sized and mods are fitted with a tank system that you can manually fill with e liquid.

If you are using e liquid, you might want to order your refills from a dedicated e liquid maker rather than an electronic cigarette company. E liquid specialists offer more flavors and more customization options. Some even allow you to choose your own ingredients and they’ll mix it for you.

Those who are new to electronic cigarettes should start with pre filled cartridges. Although they can be a little more expensive than e liquids, they are more convenient to use because they are disposable.

Pre filled cartridges and e liquids come in a gamut of flavors. Each supplier carries two to four types of tobacco that simulate the taste of regular American blends, cloves, Turkish cigarettes, and Cuban cigars.

If you like flavored cigarettes, you’ll have hundreds of varieties to choose from. Menthol and its siblings like peppermint, spearmint and mint tea are pretty common. Gourmet e liquids are now part of every menu with delectable flavors such as cherry, milk chocolate, grape, espresso, peach, eggnog, passion fruit, vanilla, banana cream pie, apple crumble, and root beer.

Cartridges and e liquids are available in various nicotine strengths. The most common varieties are 6 8mg (ultra light), 9 12mg (light), 12 18mg (regular), and 24mg (unfiltered). Some suppliers offer super strong filters with 48mg and 56mg of nicotine. We do not recommend that you go over 24mg and expose yourself to the risk of nicotine poisoning.

If you want to cut back on your nicotine intake, gradually move down one level until you get accustomed to vaping zero nicotine liquids.

A study by the FDA in 2009 found several inconsistencies in the actual amount of nicotine in e liquids and pre filled cartomizers. Try different strengths from several brands until you find the one that hits the right spot.

Starter kits and Disposables

The electronic cigarette has two main parts a rechargeable battery and a cartomizer/tank to hold the liquid. Manufacturers of minis design their batteries to work exclusively with their cartomizers so you cannot try a flavor from another brand with your ecig. In most cases, you have to purchase a starter kit every time you want to try a new electronic cigarette.

Starter kits contain one or two batteries, a few flavor cartridges, and a USB charger. If you were to buy these items separately, you’d have to pay more. Some companies make only one type of kit while others offer up to five bundles, each one with a different set of items included. You can get a basic battery cartridge charger combo or order a bigger kit upgraded with accessories.

Trying different brands of mini ecigs is now easier and more affordable than ever thanks to the invention of the disposable electronic cigarette. Instead of purchasing a starter kit, you can pick up a few ecig disposables from the convenience store, try them for a few days, and throw them out when the vapor is gone. This way you’ll be able to sample each brand before deciding to invest on an expensive kit.

Mid sized and modified ecigs are not available in disposable format because they are more complicated to use. A typical starter kit will include a rechargeable battery, a blank tank, an atomizer, a bottle of e liquid, a drip tip, and different types of chargers.

After using a mini e cigarette for several months and you decide that you are ready to ditch your regular smokes for a personal vaporizer, the next logical step is to move up to mods. Modified e cigs run on more powerful batteries that last longer and use tanks that can hold more e liquid so you don’t have to refill frequently.

To start off the year, we’re sharing with you our electronic cigarette reviews on five brands that we feel are the cream of the current crop.

V2 Cigs

V2 Cigs is America’s favorite electronic cigarette brand. It continues to rank number one in many electronic cigarette reviews because it provides the perfect balance of quality and price that no other ecig brand can match.

Offering superior quality and great flavors at incredibly low prices, V2 Cigs has become the gold standard for all mini electronic cigarettes. Its online store, , is ranked number one at , beating all other e cigarette suppliers on the Internet.

V2 Cigs is not only known for its quality products and great prices. Unlike other mini ecig suppliers that have a limited product line, V2 Cigs offers plenty of customization options with three battery sizes, four battery colors, two battery switch types, 10 flavors, five nicotine strengths, three types of disposable ecigs, different chargers that work with various voltage specifications, USB cigarettes, and lots of accessories.

V2 electronic cigarettes are powered by 4.2 volt lithium batteries which are currently the best in the industry. V2 Cigs offers pre filled cartomizers for convenience and e
liquid refills for long term cost savings.

The V2 ecig looks like a real cigarette same length, same diameter, same shape, and same color. The battery is clad in white like rolling paper and the cartomizer is color coded according to flavor.

V2 Cigs offers four types of starter kits starting at $35. Each flavor cartridge is formulated to produce the same number of puffs as 20 cigarettes, so your pack a day habit will only cost you $1.99 ($1.49 if you buy in bulk).

Because V2 Cigs cartridges are refillable, you’ll be able to enjoy bigger savings if you choose to inject your empty carts with e liquid instead of throwing them away. A 50ml bottle of V2 e liquid only costs $30 while the same equivalent in pre filled cartridges amounts to $70.

V2 Cigs maximizes its strong online presence to attract new customers and reward loyal clients. Monthly promos, V2 coupon codes, and the Smoke4Free referral program offer massive discounts for significant long term savings.

Since 2010, V2 Cigs has served more than 1 million satisfied customers. The store handles more than 4,000 orders per day on average in the US alone.

Green Smoke

The Green Smoke electronic cigarette is the closest thing there is to a real smoke it sits well between your fingers, it’s not too heavy like most ecigs, the tip lights up when you take a draw, and the vapor packs just the right heat to hit your throat like tobacco smoke.

Green Smoke e cigarettes are easy to draw on. The air input is located at the tip so you don’t hear any crackling or popping noise when you inhale. Each draw is smooth and quiet just like puffing on a real cigarette.

If you want a truly reliable vaping machine, then Green Smoke is the perfect brand for you. Green Smoke batteries and cartomizers last longer than the competition. The short battery lasts more than a day so it matches the life of the Green Smoke cartomizer. You’ll be able to pull the same amount of puffs as 30 cigarettes from a single use.

Green Smoke has been around since 2008, and as one of the major players in the ongoing ecig revolution, the company has contributed many firsts to the development of the electronic cigarette technology. One of Green Smoke’s innovations is the “cartomizer” which combines the atomizer and e liquid into one disposable filter. The Green Smoke cartomizer has become the blueprint for the modern mini cartridge.

Green Smoke used to be one of the most expensive ecig brands but in recent years it has made its products more accessible by introducing a budget kit that costs only $29.99. The Essentials Kit includes one rechargeable Green Smoke battery, a USB charger, and two flavor cartomizers.

Maybe you’ll get bored with the limited flavor selection and try a few new brands, but no matter how many different ecigs you sample, you will always come back to Green Smoke because it never fails to deliver superb vapor action with every puff.

Green Smoke has sold a total of more than 18.25 million products, which is a testament to its credibility with vapers. If you are looking for an electronic cigarette that you will be using long term, then Green Smoke should be a sound investment for you.

Blu Cigs

The Blu Cigs motto is to “give smokers back their freedom” which is embodied in the revolutionary Blu Pack.

Blu was the first ecig company to popularize the use of a portable charging case that looks like a flip top cigarette pack. Because organizing your batteries and cartomizers on the go can be a clumsy mess, Blu Cigs created its trademark Blu Pack to not only enhance user experience but make vaping look cool.

The Blu Pack is designed to store two of your batteries and five extra cartomizers while also working as a portable battery charger. The latest version, the Blu Starter Pack, is as slim as a smartphone and can fit one fully assembled Blu ecig and three flavor cartridges.

If you’re looking for a safer alternative that truly imitates the smoking experience, then you’ve got one in Blu. Its batteries are exact replicas of cigarettes except for the color. Unfortunately because Blu batteries are really small, they also pack less power than most premium minis. This is probably why Blu has included a Blu Pack in all of its starter kits it keeps your battery charged all day even without a power source in sight.

Blu Cigs is one of the few ecig manufacturers that do not use propylene glycol in its vapors. Blu cartomizers are filled with a proprietary liquid solution made by Johnson Creek, one of the leading e liquid makers in the US. The Johnson Creek Smoke Juice contains only vegetable glycerin, distilled water, nicotine (optional), natural flavors, artificial flavors, and citric acid.

With its close similarity to actual cigarettes, Blu is an excellent choice for smokers who are transitioning from analog to electric. The Blu Pack adds a nice touch to making vaping Blu feel like you’re actually smoking.

Blu is sleek and stylish but you have to pay a premium price for its aesthetics. The Blu disposable costs $10 a pop while the cheapest starter kit is still very expensive at $69.95.

South Beach Smoke

When it comes to battery performance, very few minis can match the power of the South Beach Smoke SuperMAX. One of the most sophisticated electronic cigarettes on the market today, the SuperMAX can produce a whopping 400 puffs on a single charge. Plus it has two smart features a puff monitor and an auto cleaning system.

With a puff counter, the SuperMAX battery stops you from chain vaping which is an unfortunate result of having a rechargeable cigarette. If you inhale more than 16 times within 60 seconds, the indicator light will flash to remind you to take a break.

After every 1500 puffs, the tip of the South Beach Smoke electronic cigarette will glow continuously for 20 seconds, indicating that the computer chip is optimizing your SuperMAX battery to keep it in peak condition.

Running on 4.2 volts, the SuperMAX battery can last an entire day without recharging. The vapor it creates is also hotter and thicker just like your favorite brand of smokes.

Using only ingredients that are sourced from the US, South Beach Smoke has some of the best tasting flavors among minis. It could have ranked among the top e liquid brands if it sold its formula as a manual refill. The permanent collection now features 16 flavors Classic Tobacco, Tobacco Blue, Golden Tobacco, Menthol, Double Apple Hookah, Grape Hookah, Lemon Lime, Orange Mint, Tobacco Mint, Watermelon, Chocolate, Vanilla, Cherry, Peppermint, Peach and Pi a Colada.

South Beach Smoke has updated its product line with a portable charging case that looks like the Blu Pack. Charge your standard battery on the go or use it to store one spare battery and up to six extra cartomizers.

Although V2 Cigs is still the most affordable long term vaping option, South Beach Smoke is giving V2 a run for its money by offering cheaper starter kits. For as low as $22 you can get one standard SuperMAX battery, one USB charger, and two flavor cartomizers that give you the same amount of puffs as 40 cigarettes.

Volcano Ecigs

Unlike the four other brands in our electronic cigarette reviews that specialize only in minis, Volcano offers a true vaping one stop shop with a mini (Magma), mid sized (Inferno) and mod (Lavatube) ecig in its massive product selection. Accessories are interchangeable so you have plenty of customization options. Whether you’re a transitioning smoker or a veteran vaper, you’ll find the right e cigarette for you at Volcano Ecigs.

The mini Magma is an automatic electronic cigarette that uses refillable cartomizers. It comes with a flip top portable charging station called the M Pack which is similar to the PCCs of South Beach Smoke and Blu Cigs.

The Inferno is the perfect electronic cigarette for vapers who are looking for long lasting batteries and flavors but do not want to carry the bulk and weight of a mod. With pass through USB batteries included in the kit, you can charge and vape at the sam
e time and have enough battery life to smoke for more than 15 hours between charges. The Tube Tank BCT system of the Inferno is very easy to use just fill the tube with e liquid, screw to the base with the replaceable heating coil, and you’re all set. Select from black, silver, blue, red, and pink colors.

The Lavatube gives you total control over your vaping experience with features such as adjustable voltage and wattage range, short circuit protection, atomizer resistance detection, reverse battery and over discharge protection, battery voltage and atomizer ohm monitoring, and amperage limiter. Compared to the more popular ProVari which costs $159.95 for just the unit and $212.95 for a kit, the Lavatube is a steal at $79.99 (unit) and $139.99 (kit).

Volcano offers the most number of flavors among all the electronic brands that we have reviewed. Choose from 42 delicious e liquids ranging from classic tobacco and menthol to authentic reproductions of popular fruits, beverages, desserts and candies.

All Volcano e liquids are mixed and bottled in the USA. Volcano uses USP grade kosher propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin that are 99.7% pure and natural. Each batch of liquid is sent to an independent testing facility to ensure quality and safety.

The Magma, Inferno and Lavatube can all be used with clearomizers or tanks so you can save on monthly refills. For only $12.99 you can get a 15ml bottle of Volcano V Liquid which is equal to a carton of cigarettes, bringing down your pack a day cost to $1.30. Sample the featured Flavor of the Week and get a huge 30% discount. If you spend more than $50 on your order, you immediately qualify for free shipping.

With such a huge product range, Volcano has the perfect electronic cigarette that is most suited to your comfort level and vaping demands.

Howstuffworks “how electronic cigarettes work”

You’re at your favorite restaurant, enjoying a meal. A diner at the next table is puffing on a cigarette, letting out a cloud of smoke. Because smoking isn’t allowed in the restaurant, you’re thinking about asking the smoker to put the cigarette out. But before you protest, consider this Your neighbor may not be smoking at all.

Electronic cigarettes, also known as smokeless cigarettes, e cigarettes, or e cigs, are an alternative method of consuming nicotine, the addictive chemical found in tobacco. Manufacturers often design e cigarettes to look like regular cigarettes, but they contain no tobacco and don’t require a match or any flame at all.

An e cigarette is a battery powered device that converts liquid nicotine into a mist, or vapor, that the user inhales. There’s no fire, no ash and no smoky smell. E cigarettes do not contain all of the harmful chemicals associated with smoking tobacco cigarettes, such as carbon dioxide and tar.

Manufacturers and satisfied customers say the e cigarette is a healthier alternative to tobacco cigarettes, which cause millions of deaths every year. Some users say e cigs have helped reduce their “smoker’s cough,” sharpened their senses of taste and smell, and even improved their sleep.

The electronic cigarette was invented by Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik, who patented the device in 2003 and introduced it to the Chinese market the following year. Numerous companies are now selling e cigarettes to customers around the world. But as e cigarette smoking or “vaping” as it’s sometimes called has grown in popularity, some have concerns about its safety, including the possibility that the vapor created by the devices contains dangerous chemicals.

Is the electronic cigarette a cleaner, healthier choice for smokers? Or is it a dangerous device with hidden risks? Both viewpoints have their merits, but on the next page we’ll start with the basics how the product works, and why it’s popular.